Title: The Second Son
Fandom: Hercule Poirot
Rating: G
Length: 335 words
Summary: Inspector Japp consults Poirot about a case which is troubling him.

"It's all very unsatisfactory,” Inspector Japp said to Poirot.  “The earl died due to arsenic poisoning, which had built up over a long time and the obvious suspect would be his son, who had known gambling debts.”

“And why is that a problem, my friend?” Poirot asked.

“The son died two days before his father.  It was an accident; a fatal fall from his horse while he was out riding.”

“So who now inherits the title?”

“The second son.”

“Could he be implicated at all?”

“He had no reason for murdering his father, he wouldn’t stand to gain much, and unlike his older brother, who was known as a bit of a wastrel, he was much more careful with his money.  His father had been known to say he would have preferred his second son to have been the heir.”

“That does not necessarily rule him out.  Where was he at the time of his brother’s death?”

“He was out of the country.”

“Out of the country in one of the far-flung parts of your Empire, or slightly closer to home?”

“He was holidaying in Normandy.”

“Then it would have been easy for him to return to Kent, arrange for his older brother to have an accident and then leave again.  A matter of only a few hours.”

“But why?”

“I would imagine he felt he would be a far better person to oversee the estates than his brother, who would no doubt run it down.  Presumably he could as easily poison his father as his brother could.  He may initially have hoped that his brother would be found guilty of their father’s death, but that was risky.  Far better to dispose of his brother who would then not be able to defend himself against the charge of murder, after which he inherits the title and the estates.  I would recommend you take a further look at this second son.”

“Thank you, Poirot.”  Japp stood up, looking very satisfied.  “I shall do that with pleasure.”